Gun Runner’s veteran turf specialist Mercante scored his third win in four starts in Saturday’s Arlington S. (G3) at Churchill Downs, prevailing by a neck over Brilliant Berti.
The 5-year-old, who was beaten less than a length in the Turf Classic (G1) over the same course on Derby Day, battled for the lead with Brilliant Berti for the entire 1 1/16-mile trip on Saturday. Brilliant Berti set the early pace, cutting out fractions of :48.42 and 1:11.72. Mercante was within a head of the lead after six furlongs, then took over in upper stretch. He held off Brilliant Berti the rest of the way to stop the timer in 1:40.69, a new stakes record and within a second of the track record.
“The most special part is that Mr. (Carl) Pollard has supported me by naming me his farm manager and sending me horses to train,” Brian Knippenberg said. “It was really special to win this race for him. It is nice to have a horse with this ability, and he runs to his abilities. It’s been really fun.”
Mercante is 5-1-3 in 13 starts for Pollard, who also bred the dark bay, with earnings of $726,122. He got his first graded win on March 22 in the Kentucky Cup Classic (G3) at Turfway Park.
Mercante is one of five graded winners this year for Gun Runner, whose progeny have banked $7.5 million to date in 2025.
